Beehive



NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL It. BRYANT, OF VATERFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

BEEHIVE.

Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 80,202, dated October 2, 1860.

T 0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. BRYANT, of lVaterford, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beehives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makinga part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of my invention taken in the line m, m, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 a horizontal section of the same taken in the line y, y, Fig. l; Fig. 3 a detached sectional view of the bottom of the hive; Fig. 4 a face view of one of the comb frames; Fig. 5 a transverse section of the same taken in the line e, z, Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents the bottom of the hive which is formed of a plank of suitable thickness and has a circular recess a, at its center in which a circular sheet-metal cap b, is fitted and allowed to turn said cap having a cen tral pin c, which passes down through the bottom A, and by which the cap is turned. The cap b, is perforated with small holes d, at one side and the bottom A, of the hive within the recess a, has holes c, bored through it as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

B, B, represent two vertical strips or bands which form one half of the two opposite sides of the body of the hive. These strips B, are secured to the bottom A, near its edge and to the outer edge of each strip or band B, the remaining portions C, C, of the body are hinged as shown at f, the portions C, being formed each of two parts g, 71 connected rigidly at right angles or connected by joints. The parts B, B, C, C, when adjusted in contact form a rectangular body as shown in Fig. 2. To the .vertical strips or bands B, B, a series of comb frames D, are connected at one edge by hinges z', the frames being allowed to swing freely on said hinges.

The bottom A, of the hive within the body is elevated somewhat above the part outside so "as to form a ledge j, for the parts C, to close against and the outer parts of the bottom beyond the body are inclined or beveled off as shown at lo, while the portion directly under the parts C, is horizontal as shown at Z, in Figs. l, and 3.

The comb frames D, are of rectangular form and braced by a diagonal m, and a wire n, which render them very stiff, firm and durable so that they may not rack or give way under the weight of the honey within them.

The upper rails or cross pieces ax, of the frames D, are grooved at their under sides so as to form a central longitudinal ledge 0, shown clearly in Fig. This ledge o, serves as a guide for the bees in building their comb and insures the latter being constructed in planes with the frames as the comb is always commenced at the top rails.

On the top of the body of the hive the cover E, is placed. This cover is connected to the body by a pin 20, so that it may be turned on and off of the body as may be required. The cover E, is perforated and has a spare-honey box fitted therein.

In one side of the body of the hive and -at its lower end an opening g, is made and covered with a slide F. This slide is fitted within suitable guides r, 1', and one edge of the slide F', is notched to form an opening s, of considerable length nearly equal to the width of the slide but quite narrow or shallow not exceeding 5/32 of an inch. rIhe opposite edge of the slide has an opening 1f, much shorter than s, but higher, the former being about 3/8 of an inch high equal to the opening g, in the body of the hive and about 2 in. in length, the opening g, being 4l inches.

From the above description it will be readily seen that all of the comb frames D, are rendered very accessible. In order to inspect the combs and perform the necessary manipulations therewith, removing portions of the combs, etc., all that is required is to swing open the parts C, C, and then turn outward the frames D, on their hinges 2', as shown in red in Fig. 2. The parts C, C, of the body protect the comb frames from wind and by turning olf the cover E, any of the frames D, may be lifted from their hinges z', and removed from the body of the hive. By having the part of the platform A, within the hive elevated so as to form ledges j, for the parts C, to close against and having a horizontal surface underneath the parts C, a perfect moth trap is obtained and eggs and worms may be destroyed by simply passing a case-knife along underneath the parts C.

By adjusting the cap o, so that the holes d, will register with the holes e, light and air both will be admitted into the hive but by turning the cap b, around so that the holes d, will be out of line with the holes e, air will be admitted to the hive but light obstructed. This will be understood by reierring to F ig. 8, in which the cap b, is adjusted so as to admit air but obstruct the light.

By having the slide F, provided with recesses s, and t, of different capacities the drones may be excluded at proper seasons after they have left the hive until the workers l may pass in and out of the hive the queen also may be retained within the hive. This is eected by having the narrow opening s, at the lower end of the slide. By inverting the slide and having the other opening t, at the bottom of the slide a weak swarm may be able to defend themselves against robbers as the opening is Within a smallcompass. By adjusting the slide F, so that one of the sides n, will be the lower end the opening g, may be entirely closed.

I do not claim the swinging frames D, for they have been previously used; but

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The rotating cap b, perforated at one side and tted within a circular recess a, at the center of the bottom A, of the hive the bottom Within the recesses having openings e, made through it to form a ventilator as set forth. l

2. Constructing the bottom A of the hive elevated within the body so as to form a ledge j, for the parts C, to close against and having the outer part of the bottom inclined or beveled and made horizontal beneath the parts C, for the purpose specied.

3. Constructing the comb frames D, with diagonal braces m, n, and having the upper cross rails (LX, grooved to form ledges or guides o, for the combs as set forth.

S. R. BRYANT.

Witnesses:

A. M. JUDsoN, CHESTER WEST. 

